Li ming-vat



(No Model.)

T. JOHNSTONBAUGH.

LIMING VAT. No. 321,300. Patented June 30, 1885.

' WITNESSES: I mvsmom @{lgg 712% Z I W Q 1 1: 5:33 BY .Mmm

ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES- PATENT which.

THOMAS JOHNSTONBAUGH, OF CLEARFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

LlMlNG-VAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,300, dated June 30, 1885.

Application filed April 28, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS JOHNSTON- BAUGH, of Olearfield, in the county of Clearfield and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Liming-Vat, of which the following ,is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to liming-vats used in tanning hides, and has for its object to facili' tate the even, thorough, and quick liming of the hides, so that the hairs may easily and quickly be removed from them, and without damage to the hides by too long exposure to the limingliquid, and also to save time and labor in carrying out the tanning process.

The invention consists in particular constructions and combinations of parts of the liming-vat apparatus, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a vertical sectional elevation of my improved liming-vat. Fig. 2 is a sectionalplan View taken on the line a; m, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 shows a modification of the liquid-stirrer.

The letter A indicates a vat or tank, across which are fitted the bars 13, forming a rack, from which the hides G to be limed are hung, as represented in Fig. 1. I

To the center of the transverse rack-timber D, I fit by a dovetailed joint the tube E, which hangs from timber D nearly to bottom of the vat, and has fixed to its lower end the rack or screen frame F, which may be made of wire netting or of wooden slats fastened together.

In the timber D and in a step-bearing, d, at the bottom of the vat, is journaled the upright shaft G, which passes through or inside of the tube E, and has fixed to its lower end, beneath the screen-frame F, the radial arms or paddles H, preferably four in number, and formed at opposite ends of two wooden bars, which are halved or otherwise suitably joined together at the center, where they are fastened to the shaft which passes through them, so they turn with the shaft as the shaft is rotated by turning a crank, I; or it may be a drive-pulley fixed to the upper end of the shaft.

I bevel the upperfaces of the stirrer-arms H upward and backward from the direction in which they rotate, as at h, so that the arms will thoroughly agitate the lime tending to settle at the bottom of the vat, and induce upward currents in the liming-liquid, which will carry the lime particles upwardinto contact with every part of every hide hung in the vat.

With this construction and operation the lime will take effect to loosen the hair from the entire surface of each hide in about the same time, and the liming of the hides thus will bethoroughl y, evenly, and quickly accomplished, so that the hair can be removed from the hides before the lime has had time to eat away or destroy the gclatine of the hides, consequently the hides will weigh more and have a higher market value than hides that are limed by slower and irregular processes,which require the hides to be piled upon each other, as in the ordinary reeling processes.

To prevent accumulation of lime particles at the surface of the tanning-liquid, I fix to the shaft G the stirrer or paddle J, which rotates with the shaft and at or a little below the surface of the liquid, and prevents undue settling of the lime upon the hides at the rack B, thereby facilitating the even distribution of the lime particles throughout the whole vat.

The screen-frame F prevents the shanks and tails of the hides from catching in the lower stirrer, H, and the tube E prevents entanglement of the hides with the rotating shaft G, which, if allowed, would pull the hides from the rack B, and damage the hides and cause loss of time. I

I show the tube E and screen-frame Fin square form; but they may have round or other shape, if preferred.

Instead of making the stirrers or paddles H of solid heavy pieces of wood, I may make them of lighter bars it, having inclined forward faces, to which the ligl'it broad blades If are attached, as shown in Fig. 3, which construction may at times be preferred, as the broader blades h induce stronger upward currents in the tanning-liquid to prevent the lime from settling at, the bottom of the vat, as will readily be understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with the liming-vat A,

ICO

provided with hide-rack B, of a pendent-tube, provided with hide-rack B, of a pendent tube, E, a screen-frame, F, fixed thereto, the shaft E, a screen-frame, F, fixed thereto, the shaft 15 G, journaled so as to rotate inside of tube E, G, rotating in said tube, the stirrers H, fixed and stirrers H, fixed to the shaft below frame I to the shaft below screen-frame F, made of 5 F, substantially as herein set forth. blades having upper faces inclining upward 2. The combinatio11,with the liming-vat A, and backward, and a stirrer, J, fixed to the provided with hide-rack B, of a pendent tube, shaft G above rack 13, substantially as herein 20 E, a screen-frame, F, fixed thereto, the shaft set forth. G, rotating in said tube, the stirrers H, fixed to [o the shaft below frame F, and a stirrer, J, fixed THOMAS JOHNSTON B A to the shaft above the rack B, substantially I Witnesses: as herein set forth. 0. H. THURSTON,

. o 3. The combination, with the liming-vat A, W. A. BLOOMER. 

